CJN, Adoke, NBA Extol Justice Alagoa At 70

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mukhtar, on Friday described retired Justice Stanley Alagoa, as a “distinguished judicial officer and a tireless worker.’’

Muktar made the remark at the valedictory session for Alagoa at the Supreme Court in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alagoa attained the age of 70 on Friday.

She said that Alagoa was born to the family of Mr Wilberforce Alagoa (MBE) and Mrs Elizabeth Alagoa of Ogholomabiri Nembe in Nembe West Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, southern Nigeria.

“In the course of his voyage on the High Court bench, Alagoa was truly outstanding as he clearly displayed immense industry and scholarship.

“In consequence, he was appointed Chairman of several Electoral Petition Tribunals across the country.

“Alagoa’s knowledge and experience in legislative drafting was brought to bear when he was appointed Chairman, High and Magistrates’ Court Rules Committee, to review the rules of those courts in Bayelsa.

“His knowledge of the law spreads over wide field.

“His long and extensive experience in administration and his capacity for methodical consideration of issues and sound judgment have been of great value to the court.

“Alagoa is a perfect gentleman, calm, diligent and incisive analyst on the fact of cases and was of great assistance to the court.

“He is certainly going to be missed by us all,’’ Mukhtar said.

On his part, Mr Mohammed Adoke, the Minister of Justice, said Alagoa should be celebrated because he had given 39 years of dedicated service to the legal profession.

Adoke said the retiring judge spent 23 years at the superior courts bench.

The minister said that the judge spent one year, two months and 24 days at the Supreme Court, nine years in the Court of Appeal and 13 years at the High Court.

“This is in addition to the several years he served in various capacities in the private and public sector before his appointment as a judge of the old Rivers State in 1990.

“It is on record that during these periods, Alagoa served our great country and profession with characteristic candour,’’ he said.

In his tribute, Mr Okey Wali, the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, described the sojourn of Alagoa at the Supreme Court as short but worthwhile.

According to him, commendably for him, the shortness of his tenure in this court does not directly reflect on his output and performance.

“Between December 2012 and February 2013, he delivered at least four well reasoned lead opinions; this is good work.

“So, one can only imagine the quantity and quality of work he would have put in if he had the privilege of spending more time in this court,’’ he said.

On the appointment of justices to the court, Wali, represented by Chief Adetokunbo Kayode, a former Attorney-General of the Federation, said a lot required to be done to bring quality hands to the bench.

“The debilitating effect of a very high turnover of justices of the Supreme Court has been commented upon by several legal writers.

“Appointment and promotion to the court is now generally accepted to be based on seniority, on a geopolitical basis from the Court of Appeal.

“This practice, strangely, not based on any known law or regulation is patently responsible for the position the Supreme Court has now found itself.

“Take for instance, all the justices in the court as at 2004 are now retired. As today, only six out of the 16 justices of the court in 2008 are serving.

“In the past seven years, we have had six Chief Justices of Nigeria. By 2016, which is in three years, at least nine justices of this court as presently constituted will have retired.

“The Federal Judicial Service Commission, National Judicial Service Commission and the presidency must change the approach and procedure for appointment to the court.

“If we continue to do the same thing, the same way we cannot, but get the same result,’’ Wali said.

In his speech, Alagoa expressed worries on the allegations of corruption that has eclipsed the judiciary.

“I will be failing in my duty, especially at this time if I do not say a word or two about allegations of corruption in the judiciary.

“Time was when this cankerworm was confined to the Magistracy and Customary or Native Courts.

“With time it is said to have spread and has now gained ground in the high and some say appellate courts.

“This trend must be worrisome to any discerning person, and I do join my voice to condemn the practice if it does exist,’’ Alagoa said.

According to him, though picked from the society, judges should see themselves as agents of God and strive to maintain transparency and honesty in all their dealings.

“A judge should carry himself with dignity that is different from arrogance. A judge who is more at home in social circles may do well to question his suitability for the bench as the two are incompatible.

“The greatest challenge to the judiciary are the politicians followed by businessmen; traditional rulers must also share in the blame.

“It is this class of persons that bribe, intimidate, harass or influence judges to depart from their sacred oath of office and the path of honour and rectitude,’’ he said.